Self locking nut



June'7, 1932. w. A. BERGSTROM 1,861,833

S ELF LOCKING NUT Filed Feb. 6. 1931 Inventor Atlomeys Patented June 7,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM A. IBERGS'IBOII, '0]? lLOS ANGELFS, CALIFORNIA, A SSIGNOR TO nenmm" CORPORATION, LTD., OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CQRPOBATION OF CALI roam I SELF LOCKING NUT Application filed Tebruary e, 1931. Serial in. 513,377.

' and has particular reference to a bolt nut which when in place upon an element to be secured thereby is distorted from its normal shape to thereby cause the nut to be secured opening has a configuration substantially .corresponding to the configuration of the depression on its lower face so that when in place the opening is closed and the nut is go locked.

Another object ofimy invention is to provide a self-locking nut in which the lower L: face thereof is provided with a portion sub-' stantially atritihtangles to the axis of the bore through einut, while the remaining portion of the lower face is formed at an outwardly inclined angle to the remainingportion and in which a laterally extending slot is provided entering the bore of such sha e and dimensions as will rmit closing of the slot upon depression of of the face. 7 t

My invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a sectional-view taken along hnes II of- Figure 3 and illustrating the the angular portion construction of a self-locking nut embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the nut illustrated in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a plan viewof the nut illustrated in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, it will be observed that I have provided a self-locking nut construction in which a blank 1 is provided wlth an upper face 2, a lower face 3 of which a portion 4. is parallel to the upper face thereof. A central bore 5 extends downwardly through the nut and is threaded as at 6 to en age corresponding threads upon a bolt -Myinvention relates to self-locking nuts ussure or other element to which the nut is to be secured. Theaxis of the bore 5 is illustrated as extending at right angles to the portion 4 of the lower face The lower face 3 of the blank 1 is illustrated as having another portion 7 thereof formed at an angleto the portion 5, the angle being indicated at X, the base of which lies at the side 8 constituting one side of the nutblank 1. I Extending laterally .and inwardly from the side 8, I have illustrated a slot or opening 9 formed with angular surfaces which join each other at the apex of .the angle at I 10, the apex of the angle lying immediately above the juncture 11 of the angular portion 7 of the lower face 3 and the parallel portion 4. The angle between the surfaces of the slot or opening 9 is designated by the reference .character Y. This angle corresponds ex actly to the angle X. I I prefer that the slot 9 be cut into the blank 1 wlth the bisector 12 of the angle parallel have discovered that this arrangement accomplishes the desirable result of causing the greatest spring action on the section 13 of the nut which lies between the slot 9 and the portion 7 of the lower face 3. This spring action is particularly desirable when the nut is to be removed from the bolt since it flexes this portion 'of the nut back into its original positionto thereby loosen the threads 6 from the bolt.

The nut hereinbefore described may readily be manufactured by first forming a bar .having a width corresponding to the desired width of the finished nut and having an upper surface thereof forming a right angle with each of the sides thereof. The bar is preferably formed with a lower surface corresponding to the lower surface of the finished nut. That is,,the lower surface will have a portion thereof parallel to the upper surface while the other portion thereof is formed upon an outwardly extending angle relative to the first portion.

The bar may then be cut-in any well known to the portion 7 of the lower face 3 since. I

manner into short sections or blanks of the desired width of the finished nut, after which the blanks may be bored and threaded. The 1y by abutment against said WOIK p1ece when slots 9 may thereafter,be cut into the nut said nut is applied to disaline the threads of i from the longer side of the blank so that the said body portion and said leaf portion re- 1 finished nut has the appearance illustrated spectively, and movable by its spring action ereln.

The operation of my device is substantially the threads when said nut is moved out of as follows: said abutting relation.

A self-locking nut constructed in accord- 2. A self locking nut comprising a nut ance with the preceding description may be body formed of a single iece of eresilient mareadily threaded upon the end of a bolt or terial having a lateral s 0t of predetermined other element to which it is to be secured, width extending partially therethrough and the thread throu h th nut p rmittin th spaced a substantial distance from the lower nut to be readily secured down into engageface 0f said body to form a body portion and t ith th l t t b cu d, a relatively heavy leaf spring portion nor- However, the point of initial contact be- -mally,deflected downwardly a distance equal tween th t d th l t t b secured to said predetermined width, a bore extendwill be at the juncture of the side 8 and the *ing longitudinally through said body and angular portion 7 of the lower face 3 of the leaf portions, a thread in said bore extending nut so that further tightening of the nut will In ontinuous alinement through both said cause th lower ti 13 t be v d body portion and said leaf portion to engage wardly relative to the remaining portign of 3. threaded element Of a WOIk piece to which the nut. The amount of motion permitted the t n t is 1 0 be applied, said leaf portion belower section 13 is limited by the dimensions g r ble by abutment against said of the slot 9 and if properly selected when the Work piece When said nut is applied through nut is secured tightly upon the bolt this slot 3 dlsfiance eq a 0 S pre etermined Width 9 will be completely closed. to disaline the threads of said body portion H it ill b b d th t upon th and sa1d leaf portion respectively and removupward flexing of the ection 13 the threads able by Its SpIHlg action to substantially its upon section be displaced relative pOSltlOIl t0 realine the threads when to the remaining threads in the nut so that a nut i moved out of said abutting relathe nut will in effect be jammed .upon the bolt to which it is secured. This distortion of the threads will secure the nut against displacement under vibration without the t1on.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 2d day of February, 1931.

WILLIAM A. BERGSTROM.

necessity of using any additional securing means such as cotter pins, lockwashers, keys or other similar devices now in use.

When it is, desired to remove the nut, the initial turning thereof will cause the elasticity of the material of which the nut is to be made to again extend the portion 13, thus realigning the threads on that portion with the remaining threads so that thereafter the nut may be readily removed from the bolt without injuring the threads upon the .bolt.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to any of the details shown or described herein except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: r

1. A self locking nut comprising a nut body formed of a single piece of resilient material having a lateral slot extending partially therethrough and spaced a substantial distance from the lower face thereof to form a body portion and a relatively heavy leaf spring portion normally deflected downwardly, a bore extending longitudinally through said body and leaf portions, a thread in said bore extending in continuous alinement through both said body portion and said leaf portion to engage a threaded element of a work piece to which the nut is to be applied, said leaf portion having axial distortion sole- 

